Convictions
by Ridel
Summary: Companion scene to “How we’ve come to this.” Please read that first. Livewire and Fallout have a clash of views on what they should do now that their ship is repaired. Please Read and Review!


**AN:**  
Just a quick note. Unless you don't mind this not making sense, you should go to my profile and read "How we've come to this" first.

"Okay now just tweak that a little to the right... okay now screw that in there. Careful, don't force it!"

Mathew sighed impatiently while Livewire guided Elvy through some minor repairs. The girl had had to crawl into the complex control terminal up to her waist in order to reach the damaged area, but then that was why she was there wasn't it? She could fit in places that Livewire and Fallout couldn't, and she'd gladly jump at any chance to help out or learn something new from the two Autobots.

Matt much preferred hanging out with Fallout most of the time. Science and mechanics had never interested him much. But Elvy and Livewire could chatter away for hours about the subject. Fallout on the other hand, would talk about Cybertron and the war. Two things Mathew Porter was always keen to learn about.

It was strange. He'd known Fallout and Livewire for nearly four months now. He'd seen and even been shot at a bit by Decepticons. He and his sister had been forced to go into hiding with the Autobots for two weeks, but he still found it hard to conceive of the fact that there was a universe shaking war going on. Here on this backwater planet, almost the whole population believed that their race was the only intelligent one in creation. He scoffed. Wow, how egocentric can you get?

Elvy backed out of the tiny crawl space and wiped her greasy hands off on her jeans. "Got it. What do you think?"

Livewire bent forward and checked Elvy's work critically. "Pretty good, pretty good." He conceded. Then gave her a pat on the back that nearly knocked her over. "I might just make a mechanic of you yet."

Elvy smiled up at him.

It was almost creepy how well those two got on, Matt decided. After all, Livewire was a frickin' giant robot! Not that he had anything against him. It was just that Elvy seamed to really look up to him, in a figurative as well as literal sense. She didn't let it show much, but Matt could sense the admiration she had for him. it wasn't a crush, at least he hoped not. That just _would_ be creepy. But his sister defiantly felt _something_ for the green and yellow Autobot. And Matt often wondered if he could sense the same feelings in Livewire.

'_Please__, please don't let my sister fall in love with a giant robot.'_ Matt silently preyed.

"LIVEWIRE GET YOUR AFT OUT HERE NOW!"

Livewire Matt and Elvy all jumped as Fallouts voice boomed down the corridor. Slowly getting to his feet, Wire gingerly poked his head out of the cramped engine room and was met by the second most furious Autobot he'd ever met in his life.

"Uh, what's up?" He asked innocently. Fallout raised one finger and beckoned him closer.

"Come." He said, in a voice that left no room for argument. Livewire sagged a little and wordlessly followed. Elvy and Matt got up and made to tag along, but Fallout turned on them sharply.

"Not you two. This is just between us Autobots."

Elvy looked slightly offended. Livewire shrugged at her helplessly and turned to follow Fallout down the hall.

"Well, what do you think that's all about?" asked Elvy, turning to her brother. Matt shrugged.

"Couldn't say."

The two humans sat in awkward silence as the Autobots clanging footsteps receded down the passage.

Fallout led Livewire past several disorganized rooms, then stopped in front of an open door. He pointed inside. "Explain." He said.

"Uh… Storage room?" Tried the scientist. Fallout shook his head.

"No. Guess again."

Livewire fidgeted, uncomfortable. "A… couple of mattresses?" He said in a small voice.

"Ah, getting warm. What else?"

"… Some clothes, DVDs, books, a fridge…"

Fallout began to clap. "Bravo!" He said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now, would you care to tell me what in the name of Cybertron we're doing with a room full of Human stuff? And while you're at it, you can explain exactly _how_ we came by it in the first place!"

Livewire rubbed the back of his neck absently. "Well look. Maybe I kind of thought that, you know…" He trailed off.

Fallout sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Livewire, please tell me you were not planning on taking the humans with us."

Livewire threw his arms out wide in a gesture of frustration. "Well what are we supposed to do? We cant leave them here unprotected!"

"So you want to bring them into even more danger?" Asked Fallout. "Those two children don't know anything about war. Now you want to drag them into the middle of ours?"

"They're already a part of it!" Livewire countered. "Have you already forgotten? Barricade knew where they lived! They were almost terminated because we weren't watching."

Fallout took a step towards the scientist and jabbed a finger into his chest plate accusatorily. "They never would have _been_ in danger if you had just followed my orders and avoided contact!"

Livewire shoved back hard. "I've told you before!" He shouted. "It was Elvy who spotted _me!_ She's the one who kept trying to make contact. What was I supposed to do?"

"You could have stopped your slagging 'people watching' and helped me fix the ship faster! Maybe then we would have been off this planet by now instead of scrambling to repair what's left of our craft after the Decepticons short stay!" Fallout was practically shaking with anger. Livewire sighed and held up his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Alright I'll admit it. You were right and I was wrong. It was a mistake to keep meeting with her. But that's all in the past. We can't go back and change it. So the question remains, what do we do about it now? We can't just leave them."

"Yes we can, and yes we will." Said Fallout evenly. Livewire's jaw dropped.

"Wha? We can't- they wont-"

Fallout raised a hand, cutting him off. "Look, after the ship is fixed and we're ready to launch, we'll take the kids back to the place we hid last time. We'll leave them with this stuff, which you still need to explain by the way. They can lay low there for a little while. Then after we've been gone for a week or so, they can contact their parents and go home. Both we and the Decepticons should be systems away by then."

Livewire wasn't ready to give up yet. "Even assuming that's true and the Decepticons do leave this planet without harming the kids, this planet offers plenty of its own dangers for humans. They won't be any safer living out it the woods at this time of year then they would be coming with us! Elvy says that humans are very susceptible to cold and damp, it makes them sick. Besides, you know the Decepticons are keen on revenge. If we leave the kids there's still a huge chance they'll be in danger! At least this way we'll be able to keep an optic on those two."

Fallout clenched his fists in anger. Deep down he knew Livewire was right. No matter the plan he'd come up with, they always left too much chance for the children to come to serious harm. Unfortunately, he was also convinced that _he_ was right. There was absolutely no place for these small harmless humans in their war. What would they do with them once they got back to Cybertron? What would Optimus Prime think of it? He couldn't imagine him being supportive of the decision.

He made up his mind. "We leave the humans here." He said firmly.

Livewire opened his mouth to shout a protest but Fallout cut him off. "No arguments! I won't say that it wasn't nice knowing them, or that I won't miss them, but it's the only way."

Livewire was shaking now. He'd never felt so angry before. He knew, just knew that if they left Matt and Elvy here they'd be in danger. And there was just something about those to that made him want to protect them. They were young, they were fragile, but they were also kind and self sacrificing. Almost innocent really. He knew Fallout felt that way too, but the feeling was obviously not as strong.

No way. Fallouts plan was to full of holes. He would keep those kids safe. Even if he had to go around his comrades back to do it.

He gave a sharp, clipped salute. "Yes sir." He said tersely, then turned and marched back down the corridor.

"Livewire!" Fallout called. Wire stopped and half turned.

Fallout was glairing at him. "Don't do anything we'll all end up regretting."

Livewires optics narrowed and he continued back to the engine room.

AN 2: (This time it's not AN 1:)

This weird little random scene is a sort of sequel to "How we've come to this" which no one read anyway. So I don't know why I'm posting it here since I bet no one will read this either. You'll have to read "Hwctt" first if you want this to make a lick of sense.

I like writing these characters for some reason. Should just think of a whole story for them, I bet it wouldn't be hard. But I've got enough on my plate what with NaNoWriMo starting TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT! D:

Plus I have another oneshot I have to write before then. And I have to run around buying stuff for our NaNo kick off party. And probably make supper too. Duuuude I hope I make the deadline.

Anyway, if you've taken the trouble to read this I'd love to hear what you thought. Good, Bad, a flame, I don't care. Just something to let me know you read it.

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